I’ve been doing some thinking about the cost of going on holiday. Actually, the true price of two weeks in the sun is often sunburn, dodgy tummy or a marital bust-up, but that’s not my point.

In terms of cold, hard cash, once you start totting-up all the extras, it makes for quite a nasty surprise.

We all know parking at the airport can cost the GDP of a small country, so it makes sense to book early, or better still, consider leaving your car at home and hopping on the train or Oxford Bus Company’s airline coach service that goes to Heathrow and Gatwick.

At £29 return to Heathrow and £37 to Gatwick per adult and discounts for travelling as family, it might work out cheaper and prove less hassle.

It’s a no-brainer to avoid buying foreign currency at the airport or a high street bureau de change, as you’ll get nowhere near the rate you will if you order it in advance from somewhere like the Post Office.

Since rates fluctuate so much, it’s worth checking out moneysaving expert.com for an up-to-date list of who’s offering the best deal when you go.

If you are hiring a car, ask whether the rental firm will bill for extras – some charge £70 a week for the hire of a child seat.

Hotels can be sneaky in that way too: I was once asked to pay – and had to cough up – £30 for the use of a towelling bathrobe left in my room during a trip to Austria. And use of air-conditioning sometimes comes extra.

But now for the good news – as members of the EU, we Brits are all entitled to the European Health Insurance Card.

They’ve been around for 10 years now, so some people dismiss or forget about them but they are pretty useful when you travel abroad.

They don’t replace travel insurance but they give you full access to state-run hospitals and local doctors in all 28 EU countries plus a few others such as Switzerland and Norway.

Better still, they are completely free and although you must be over 16 to apply, adults can register on behalf of their children. If you are unlucky enough to break an arm or leg, or end up falling ill, they really come into their own but, as with most things, there are a few things to watch out for.

Make sure you carry the card at all times, even when on the beach. Emergencies happen when you least expect and you are not covered if you don’t have the card with you. Before you go, check it’s still valid, since up to four million cards expire this year.

You can’t get them from the Post Office or your GP, you need to visit ehic.org.uk to apply.

The site includes useful information about its Facebook page and a downloadable app which shows you how to use the card, gives emergency phone numbers and explains how to claim money back and who to contact in case you lose your card. Bon voyage...

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